Finally! Sirui Anamorphic Full Frame Lenses With Autofocus!

Shooting with anamorphic lenses on the L-Mount has traditionally been a bit of a hassle for me. Up until recently, the only options available were manual focus, great for control, not so great for speed. If I wanted to shoot wide open for that beautiful subject separation, I’d usually need an external monitor just to make sure focus was nailed. And of course, that meant a heavier, bulkier setup.

But that’s finally changed.

I’ve started testing a set of anamorphic lenses that not only have autofocus, but are natively built for the L-Mount. They match the way I naturally shoot, and honestly, they’re the first set of anamorphics I’d happily use on a regular basis, for both client projects and YouTube videos.

These lenses let me keep my rig small and agile. And thanks to usable autofocus, I can work much faster too.

I’m talking about the Sirui Astra Anamorphic series.

Specs at a Glance

The Sirui Anamorphic Full Frame lenses feature a 1.33x squeeze, giving you a final aspect ratio of 2.39:1 when shooting in 16:9.
Weight: 600–700 g depending on focal length.

Video reference:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yriFYYBSE5o

Now, 1.33x isn’t the most dramatic anamorphic squeeze, but that’s exactly why I like them. They give you the anamorphic flavour without going overboard, which makes them far more usable for everyday client work.

If you’re curious about how the autofocus performs, stick around, I’ve got test results. First, let’s talk build and design.

Design That’s Actually Practical

Sirui clearly put thought into how these lenses feel in the hand:

• 67mm front filter thread across the set

• Distance marker cutout next to the focus ring

• Smooth, well-damped manual focus feel

• AF/MF switch, rubberized function button, and iris lock

• Toggle between clicked or de-clicked aperture

They’re full metal, feel premium, and should handle the usual knocks and scrapes of set life. Sirui sent me the full set, neatly packed in a hard case, and from what I can tell, they’re the first full-frame, L-Mount native anamorphics with autofocus. Considering Sirui only joined the L-Mount Alliance in March, that’s a pretty fast turnaround.

But specs on paper are one thing. Autofocus performance is another.

Autofocus: Not Perfect, but Surprisingly Capable

Let’s be blunt: don’t expect Lumix or Sigma native spherical AF performance. These aren’t perfect, and yes, they struggled in a few moments.

However, they’re far from unusable.

For about 80% of what I shoot, the AF worked reliably enough that I felt confident leaving it in full auto. Tracking moving subjects was generally fine, though there is focus breathing, especially when objects move toward or away from the camera.

My workflow:
Use AF to acquire focus → switch to manual to lock it in.

All testing was done with AF speed and sensitivity set to zero on my Lumix body, so you could absolutely tune your settings for better performance.

For a first attempt at AF on full-frame anamorphic lenses, Sirui did a genuinely admirable job.

Image Quality: Better Than I Expected

I’m really impressed with what these lenses produce:

• Nice contrast

• Incredibly easy-to-grade footage

• Consistent colour reproduction across the lineup

• No weird tint shifts when switching focal lengths

Honestly, I’ve never had this much fun shooting anamorphic before. The ease of use compared to fully manual primes is a night-and-day difference (and that makes me want to shoot more).

Minimum Focusing Distance: Better Than Expected

Anamorphic lenses usually struggle with close focus, but the Astra series holds up well:

• 50mm: 0.5 m

• 75mm: 0.6 m

• 100mm: 0.7 m

I’m using the neutral flare version, but there’s also a blue flare option if you prefer that classic sci-fi look. The flares here are well-controlled, stylish, but not overbearing. For my taste, that’s perfect.

Final Thoughts: A Recommended Entry Into Anamorphics

I’ll be holding onto these lenses for a while. They’re absolutely the set I’d recommend to anyone wanting to dip their toes into anamorphic shooting for the first time.

And if Lumix ever adds real-time anamorphic desqueeze to their cameras? That would make the workflow even sweeter.